


Visiting Hours

by ToodleOfDeeth



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Attempt at Humor, How Do I Tag, Humor, M/M, Peter's POV, Protective Peter Parker, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 19:43:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18817717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToodleOfDeeth/pseuds/ToodleOfDeeth
Summary: Tony always looked a little bit lonely in the workshop by himself, but as Happy explains, sometimes a certain living icon comes in so they can have, uh, adult discussions.





	Visiting Hours

Tony’s workshop would never be empty. 

He was always working on something new, something improved and state of the art, and that meant that the seemingly endless amount of nuts, bolts and sheet metal would always be present somewhere. On the far wall were boxes of things, wires and such, which sometimes spilled out all over the place if he had been in the shop for a while, and if he left after a long session with bits and pieces everywhere his three diligent bots picked up the pieces and put them back where they belonged. Even with everything in the correct place there was still the eternal eyes of the Iron-Man suits watching over the room, their cameras off but still there, and with FRIDAY always monitoring. 

But watching him tinker now, his arms elbow-deep in the newest Iron Man suit, Peter couldn't help but wonder what Mr. Stark would look like still surrounded by blue screens and machinery, but with someone by his side, not necessarily working along side but still present and comforting. 

“Mr. Stark?” Peter said before he could stop himself, and Tony looked up. 

“What’s up, kid?” 

“Who usually comes into the workshop? Like, when I'm not here.”

Tony paused mid-motion, one hand holding a circuit board as he looked into space, and then to Peter, “What do you mean by that, kiddo?”

Peter hadn't thought this far ahead. He stumbled, “I- just, you know- big workshop. And I’ve seen Miss. Potts come in here before, and Rhodey, and Happy. I was just wondering if anyone else, you know, sat down here with you. Like I do.”

Tony squinted his eyes at Peter, looking for any sign of mockery, but the look disappeared as soon as Tony remembered that it was Peter asking the question. “All of the Avengers do sometimes,” he began, “Bruce comes down here every other day to talk shop. Everyone else is more or less only down here to discuss Avengers business, which  _ no, _ Peter, I will not be discussing with you.”

Peter pouted, “Can you tell me what you do down here with them though? Like why does Happy come down here?”

“He’s not always running me and you around, you know,” Tony moved to pick something up from the worktable behind him, then slid over to Peter to pick up the fourth smallest wrench, before heading to his own space on the rolling chair again, “He usually comes down here to tell me stuff, or to pick me up for events, or whatever.”

“You said he hangs out though.”

“Yeah, he hangs out with me when I’m finishing up down here before events. He’s started to bring a book.”

Peter hummed as he considered this, his attention mostly on his web-shooter, which was currently in fifty pieces before him. “What about Rhodey?”

“Rhodey is like Pepper - comes down here to make sure I’m alive and that I’ve eaten and haven’t turned one of my cars into a suit, which would  _ still  _ be cool, don't let them tell you otherwise. He, and Pepper actually, sometimes stay for a while, maybe half an hour, but you know.”

He left it there, keeping his attention to his own project, and Peter felt the need to look up and watch Tony move for a moment. His earlier observations, of Mr. Stark surrounded by holographic screens and bits of metal, felt even more in fact when seeing him in this new light - a brilliant inventor, filled to the brim with knowledge and compassion, but forced to put on an act for the public in order to avoid criticism. He could understand it better now, why Tony didn't let a lot of people just wander in. He knew for a fact that there weren't many people with unprecedented access, and that he was one of those on the short list of names. 

“You said the Avengers come down here though, right?” Peter couldn't help but press a little further.

“For upgrades, yeah, apart from Bruce and--”

Peter looked up as Tony cut himself off, seeing Mr. Stark doing his classic ‘I said nothing and you can't tell me otherwise’ thing where he didn't make eye contact and dug his hands into whatever he was doing, this time being the Iron Man suit.

“And?”

Tony swallowed around nothing. “Nothing,” He said, “Just Bruce.”

And if there were ever an indicator to stop then Peter was wise enough to know that was it. Tony wouldn't look at him, keeping his head low and his body language closed, and instead said, “So, Peter, how about that B- you got in that chemistry test? You know you can do better than that.”

Like that, the previous conversation dropped. 

Two hours later, at around eight at night, Happy came knocking as Peter shot a web at the far corner of the workshop. “Hey, kid.” He said in way of greeting, coming in with a copy of  _ The War of the Worlds  _ under his arm and taking refuge on the torn red sofa near the door. 

Peter waved, and after looking at the clock to make sure it wasn't quite time yet, greeted Happy with an enthusiastic, “Hey man!”

“You coming or what?”

“I’ve still got five minutes.”

“Figured you’d say that,” and Happy dropped to the couch. 

But then five minutes was over, and with his web shooter mostly together again, Peter shoved everything into his beaten-up backpack and went to give the usual half-hug to Tony.

“I’ll see you this weekend, yeah?” He said, letting Peter pull away.

“Of course, Mr. Stark,” Peter grinned, tripping over his own feet as he walked almost backwards to the door, “We’re gonna work on the suit?”

“Sure thing,” Tony replied again, and then looked to Happy, “Make sure he doesn't bring snacks out in the car this time yeah?”

“Yeah, yeah, Tony I got this.”

“Well, I just don't want his aunt calling me up again to give me hell over it.”

“Sorry, Mr. Stark!”

Tony laughed, “It’s cool, kid. See you soon.”

Happy ushered Peter out of the workshop, making sure he didn't leave without closing the door, and dragged him out to the car to sit in the back seat. Peter dumped his bag next to him, talking about Star Wars and Ned and whatever else he could think of to fill the silence Happy always left him in, before he remembered the conversation he had earlier with Tony.

“Happy,” Peter began, “Who else goes into Mr. Stark’s workshop with him? I know we do, and Pepper, Rhodey and Bruce do, but who else?”

“Why do you ask?” Happy replied instantly, voice not…  _ suspicious, _ per say, but curious nonetheless. 

“It’s just…” He all of a sudden felt silly for his reasoning, seeing as it was something Aunt May would ask about him when she was feeling particularly motherly, but Peter  _ was  _ curious, and never missed an opportunity to inquire about another person’s well being. Swallowing down his sudden hesitation, he continued, “Mr. Stark’s workshop just seems so,  _ empty _ , you know? When no one else is in there, I mean. I was wondering… well, who spends time with him?” A pause where Happy didn't respond floated through like a fog, and Peter rushed to correct himself, “I mean- He’s an adult, he doesn't, like,  _ need  _ anyone in there, I’m sure, but, you know, it’s just- big space, lots of... stuff-”

“Steve goes in there sometimes,” Happy admitted, “But don't tell Tony I told you that.”

Peter paused, thirty questions coming into his head at once. “Why can't I tell Mr. Stark? And, Steve, you mean like  _ Captain America? _ ”

“Yeah kid, Captain America. Tony doesn't want you to know.”

“Why?”

“I can't tell you.”

“Why can't you tell me?”

“You’ll tell everyone!” Happy said, voice getting higher with frustration.

“I won't!”

“Yeah, well-”

“I haven’t told anyone I’m Spiderman! Why would I tell anyone why- oh.”

Peter sat quietly for a moment. “Are they-” He paused again, “Are they in-”

“That’s a word for it, but not an overly accurate one.”

There was silence for a good five minutes. Outside, someone hooted their horn. 

“Oh my god,” Peter said, “Mr. Stark is fucking Captain America.”

“Language!” 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this! I'm sorry if it feels a bit rushed or weird, but it's an old fic that i reworked after seeing Endgame. Either way, i hope you liked it, and if you did please leave Kudos, comments and bookmarks :)


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